Anti-ballistic missile system



United States Patent [72] Inventor Milton Morse Teaneck, NJ. (41 HoneckSt., Englewood, NJ. 07631) [21] Appl. No. 653,725 [22] Filed July 17,1967 [45] Patented Sept. 8, 1970 [54] ANTl-BALLISTIC MISSILE SYSTEM 3Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[521 0.8. CI 102/9, 343/7, 102/70.2 [51] Int. Cl..'.' ..B64g 1/10 [50]Field 01' Search 244/155; 343/5,7, 100.5A; 102/70.2P; 244/3.14; l02/8,9

I [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,587,243 2/1952 Sweetman102/24 2,972,949 2/1961 MacLeod 102/67 3,054,938 9/1962 Meddick l02/24X3,113,305 12/1963 Trounson et al l02/70.2X

OTHER REFERENCES Aviation Week, Oct. 3, 1960, Antisatellite Techniqueslnvestigated, pp. 54, 55, 57, 59, 63.

Primary Examiner-Samuei W. Engle Attorney-Charles E. Temko ABSTRACT:Anti-ballistic missiles are deployed in space above the atmosphere overthe target area, said missiles omniversally rotate about two separaterotational axes. A radar beam from a direction substantially oppositethe direction of an oncoming enemy missile is received by one of a pairof antennas on the anti-ballistic missile which has a shaped chargedirected toward a ring of pellets. When theradar beam is reflected froman enemy missile back to another one of the pair of antennas, the shapedcharge is detonated and one or more pellets strike the enemy missile,destroy its warhead, detonating mechanism, and/or guidance system farfrom its target or otherwise so damage the missile that it will fall asa dud.

ANTI-BALLISTIC MISSILE SYSTEM This invention relates generally toballistic missiles and more specifically, it relates to ananti-ballistic system including missiles which will destroy or renderinoperable other missiles. The race for supremacy in the missile fieldhas given rise to the development of the intercontinental ballisticmissile. or ICBM, as it is called. The ICBM has a thermonuclear warheadwhich has the destructive equivalent of millions of tons of TNT. In theevent of a conflict between two warring countries, it would only benecessary for just a few of these missiles to detonate near theirprimary targets. The purpose of my antiballistic missile is to destroyeither the warhead, the guidance system, or the detonating mechanism ofthe enemy ICBM. The launching site of an enemy ICBM is hundreds andperhaps thousands of miles from the target area. The enemy missile musttravel at very high velocities otherwise it can easily be overtaken anddestroyed by conventional aircraft. Accordingly, these missiles arelofted to altitudes which are substantially outside of the earthsatmospheric boundries. Outside of the dense atmosphere, the ICBMs travelat speeds of five or six thousand miles per hour.

It has long been know that thermonuclear explosions release largequantities of hard radiation. In outer space these radiations can travelfor very long distances and they can penetrate considerable thickness ofsteel or other metals of which missiles are constructed. It wasoriginally hoped that these hard radiations would function as ananti-missile device, since they generate considerable heat. Also, theseX-rays cause the electronic guidance and detonating devices to becomeconfused and/or inoperative. Unfortunately, the radiations are of veryshort duration. In addition to this is the fact that the radiationdecreases in intensity in inverse proportion to the square of thedistance from the exploding thermonuclear device. It necessarilyfollows, therefore, that the effective radius of such an anti-missiledevice is severely limited in both time and distance. If a means couldbe made for prolonging the X-radiation and creating a radiation girdleso that it would serve as a wall or barrier, then the thermonuclearanti-missile missile would be more effective. Unfortunately such amethod would only be effective until such time as a more effectiveshielding method was devised for ballistic missiles.

l have therefore given considerable thought to this problem and I havecome to the conclusion that until the state of the art advances to thedesired point, another type of anti-ballistic missile is required, onewhich is within the realm of our present capabilities. My system isbased in part upon the same principle which once served as a barrageumbrella, used to ward off attacking airplanes. Initially I provide anumber of explosive charges which are substantially disc shaped. The rimof the disc is shaped so as to concentrate the greater proportion of theexplosive force in a radially outward direction. In the focal area ofthis shaped charge I place a very large quantity of small steel pellets.When the shaped charge is detonated, the pellets are projected radiallyoutward. In the absence of any atmosphere, these pellets will not burnup and they will achieve velocities of many thousands of miles per hour.The entire explosive device is an anti-ballistic missile device and maybe called a space mine. A series of these relatively inexpensive spacemines are lofted into orbits so that there will always be a girdle ofspace mines crossing the probable trajectory ofthe invading ICBMs.Sufficient spin about two rotational axes is imparted to each space mineso that it will always be omniversally rotating while located in a planewhich is tangent to the earths surface.

Unlike its seaborne counterpart, these space mines cannot be detonatedby the proximity of an ICBM. They will only be detonated if they are inthe direct beam of a particular radar signal and if that radar signal isalso reflected back from the ICBM to the space mine. The combination ofthese two impinging signals trigger the space mine.

If foreign objects of suspicious origin are detected, by radar, then theradar beam would be directed toward the suspicious missile. Any spacemine which was close enough to the suspicious missile so that it sharedthat same radar beam, would automatically explode.

In order to be detonated, the space mine must receive not only thedirect signal from earth, but must also receive a reflected signal fromthe enemy missile.

In addition to the direct radar signal and the reflected radar signal,there must also be a detonating signal which is radiated from a separateantenna. The antenna which radiates the detonating signal is linked tothe radar antenna. The reason for this is that the radar signal is apulse of very short duration, and it is highly improbable that thereflected pulse and the primary pulse would strike the proper antennasat the same instant. Therefore, the detonating beam is a continuoussignal of a different frequency which is only aimed by the radar beam.The radar frequency will not detonate the space mine. Also, it must beunderstood that the antenna system on the space mines is not limited tothe size shown on the accompanying drawings. The antennas will mostprobably be of the unfolding type and they will open to full size whenthe mines have finally reached their orbiting altitude.

Another means of assuring reasonable accuracy of the pellets is theorientation of the antennas. The detonating signal can only trigger themine when it is aligned with the proposed target, and this is determinedby the alignment of the antennas. Finally, it is necessary that thesignal receivers be made of materials which are not rendered inoperativein the presence of hard radiation, otherwise the enemy could detonateseveral thermonuclear devices and thus render the space mines useless,at least for a period of time.

If all conditions are not suitable when the enemy missile is close to aparticular space mine, that particular mine will not detonate. In thatcase the next successive nearest mine will take over the destruction ofthe enemy missile. If the enemy tries to saturate any vital area withits missiles it would only be necessary to detonate a single mine at atime.

The mines will be relatively inexpensive and several mines may be loftedinto orbit with a single rocket. The advantage of sowing such mines isthe fact that they can be swept out of space at a later date ifhostilities end. Also, there would be no danger to friendly personnelwho are sweeping these mines, whereas if the enemy attempted suchoperations the mines could be deliberately detonated.

The state of our present knowledge permits the use of computers todetermine the number of space mines which would be necessary to providea statistically good anti-ICBM girdle or girdles.

In those instances where a missile bearing a fusion warhead is launchedfrom an aircraft or submarine from a relatively near location, where thetransit time is very short, (because of high velocity) such missiles maybe kept in a low trajectory. Such low trajectory missiles couldconceivably reach their target not ever being exposed to the destructiveforce of my space mines. In such instances, a multitude of space minescan be trajectoried into a barrage screen toward an approaching missileor missiles, and these mines would serve as interceptors at very closerange.

It must be understood that the present mines are relatively small andlight, therefore, they could be floated on high flying captive ballons.

Similarly the space mine may be in the form of a hydrogen bomb which mayutilize the above described means of detonation.

In the drawings in which similar reference characters designatecorresponding parts in the several views:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view partly in elevation showing a space mine; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram.

As seen in FIG. 1, a space mine 20 is seen, and another one is indicatedsome distance away. The mines are in space above the earths atmosphereand are: omniversally rotating about two separate rotational axesproviding a combined spinning and tumbling motion which constantlyshifts the position of the pairs of antennas A A and B B'- to produce ascanning effect. The lofting of the mines 20 into space and the spinningand tumbling are accomplished by rocket launching or the like in amanner well known in this art.

Since the mines 20 are substantially identical, a detailed descriptionof one will suffice for all. Mine 20 has a body 22 composed of explosivehaving upper and lower surfaces 24 and 26 and a circular side wall 28which has an annular groove 30 so that the body 22 is in the form of ashaped charge at the focus of which is disposed a ring 32 of pellets 34preferable composed of hardened steel or the like. The ring 32 may becomposed of any suitable material to retain the pellets in positionuntil the mine is fired, and the ring 32 is maintained in predeterminedposition by the support 36.

Secured to the surface 24 is ray resisting or absorbing casing 38 withinwhich is carried an integrated circuit generally indicated by referencecharacter 40 shown schematically in FIG. 3. The antennas AA' and BB aremechanically connected to said casing and electrically connected to thecircuit 40.

In the circuit 40 the AND gate 42 will pass an ihtpulse to the detector44 only when it gets a signal from both antennas A and A or B and B Fromhere the impulse travels through the detector 44, through the keyingunit 46 to the detonation device 48, which activates explosive body 22.

Upon activation the explosive body 22 as a shaped charge impels thepellets 34 radially at very high speeds generally along the pathsindicated 34A in FIG. 2 for example at 5000 miles per hour, and one ormore of these pellets strike the enemy missile 50 either damaging itsguidance mechanism, its detonation mechanism, or cause the missile 50 toexplode at a harmless distance from the target area 60.

Detonation of the mine 20 only occurs when a radar beam A, projectedfrom radar transmitter 80, is received by one of the antennas in eitherpair and radar beam 70B strikes the missile S0 and is reflected as beam70C and is received by the other of the antennas, in the pair.

Where additional ignition precaution is desired a separate signal is imosed upon the radar beam which activates the keying unit 46.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to theexact details shown and described, for obvious modifications will occurto a person skilled in the art to which the present invention relates.

lclaim:

A space mine anti-ballastic system for use against an enemy missilecomprising: a plurality of space mines each having an explosive charge,detonating means for said charge, and a pair of coaxial antennas, one ofwhich pair receives a radar signal reflected from said enemy missile,and the other of which receives a radar signal from a direction oppositethat of said antenna and said detonating means, which allows said signalto actuate said detonating means when said antennas receive the sameradar signal, one directly and the other as reflected from the enemymissile, and at least one radar tracking station capable of projecting aradar signal to track said enemy missile; said space mines being inorbit about the surface of the earth, and continuously executingrotation about a pair of angularly disposed axes in a plane which is tangent to the earths surface so as to provide a combination spin andtumbling motion.

2. A system as set forth in claim 1 in which the explosive charge isshaped.

3. A system as set forth in claim 2 in which the mine has pellets in thefocus of said shaped charge.

